Big river in the heat
Published on August 6th, 2008 by Rodney
The August heat usually means it is time to move the office to the Thompson River valley. After the long weekend crowd had dispersed, Mark and I decided to pay those aggressive rainbow trout a visit. Stubborn trout and slippery boulders can make these excursions very frustrating at times, but past trips have always brought unexpected excitement and new findings that keep drawing us back.
We arrived in Spences Bridge on August 6th and were greeted by Roy and Sarah at Acacia Grove RV Park and Cabins. Acacia Grove makes camping luxurious. Our campsite is just a short walk from the river. The park also has showering facility, which makes sleeping much easier at the end of a long hot fishing day.
Silver twins, ready for action
 
Casting and hoping for a tug under the bright sun
The first afternoon scouting under the scorching sun was not rewarding as expected. A few tugs were felt, but they were from tinies that did not know any better. The only wiggly object that was unfortunately brought back with the stonefly nymph was this juvenile salmon.
After dinner, it was time for some serious business. The evening hours usually bring out the biggest trout that are seeking for a surface feed. Upon our arrival at a new spot, I sent out a golden stonefly nymph to see if I could be tugged. Meanwhile, Mark immediately generated some splashes further downstream but none stayed on his hook. After three or four connections, I decided to find out what the secret was. It turned out that he had been teasing them with a dry fly. I chose to walk downstream from both of them where I spotted some rises. A few drifts later, a tiny bob beneath the surface buried the fly. My dry fly experience is minimal, so even though I was staring at it intently, it took two more seconds to register that some fish had gotten it in its mouth. I set the hook, which was actually unnecessary because the trout was already swimming away with it. It took a few robust runs like what most rainbow trout from Interior BC would do before surrendering itself in the shallows. The scar at the edge of its jaw indicates that this fish was already caught before, a pretty typical sign in a fishery where catch and release is primarily practiced.
Ready to be released
Rising moon at dusk and a quiet river make a peaceful setting